


two times a charm

by nakimdoyu



Series: into the johnyuverse [1]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Post-Canon, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, i have a vision of what each member becomes in 10 years, i just wanted ot21 so i made it happen, johnyu forever peace, over-utilisation of the word baby, this is 10 years from now
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-12
Updated: 2019-09-06
Packaged: 2020-05-02 01:56:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19189552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nakimdoyu/pseuds/nakimdoyu
Summary: “I hope you are the happiest man on Earth tonight,” Johnny finishes, sending a smile as sweet Yuta’s way.Yuta mouths an ‘I am’, because he really is. And he doesn’t think it could get any better than this.But maybe, just maybe, he’s wrong. Because Johnny has so much more to say.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Just needed to feed the JohnYu nation and water the tag.

“...and you’re literally the only one who can match my energy flawlessly, put up with my high tension periods so that I don’t feel out of place,” Taeyong says, looking his best friend of 16 years straight in the eyes.

Yuta’s eyes are brimming with tears, but his vibrant smile doesn’t falter one bit throughout that emotional speech.

Taeyong is _so good_ with words, so much so that he’s one of the most sought after songwriters in South Korea, and soon internationally.

He’s used to Taeyong doing this every year, but it doesn’t mean he appreciates it any less. 

“And because of that,” Taeyong continues.

“I’m pretty sure he enjoys making you cry. What a sadist,” Taeil whispers to Yuta, making him huff a laugh, hand wiping another tear that managed to escape.

“Because of that...” Taeyong repeats as he chokes on a sob.

“Gosh, please stop being so sappy!” Jaehyun interrupts, his own eyes red.

That makes Taeyong laugh, composing himself before adding, “...you’re stuck with me for life, cause I don’t think anyone else can do that for me.”

There’s a roar of disagreement, everyone trying to fake a sound of being offended by that statement. But they all know Taeyong and Yuta are...

Well, they’re Taeyong and Yuta.

“Happy birthday, Yuta. Let’s stick together until we’re 70. You can run away at 71, if your knees allow you to, that is.” Taeyong ends the speech abruptly, jogging the small distance to where Yuta is seated before launching for a tight hug.

There’s a mix of laughing, sniffling, and cheering from that crowd of 21 people, and everything is so, so, so perfect, Yuta thinks.

Doyoung takes the mic again when everyone’s settled down.

“Okay, stop crying everyone. Now, let me invite the man that made this all happen, up here, ‘the only man ever’ as Yuta hyung would say,” Doyoung wiggles his eyebrows in the direction of the birthday boy.

Everyone breaks into laughter. 

Twenty something men laughing together in a closed space sure as hell could shake the whole premise.

“Johnny Suh!”

Yuta flinches at the loud cheering that follows, but one press of Johnny’s lips to his temple seems to melt him into a puddle of softness, smiling like an idiot. They don’t call him Yuta ‘Fool in Love’ Nakamoto for no reason.

Johnny makes for the microphone, turning to face the small audience, his own smile so wide you can count all of his teeth, top and bottom rows.

The ‘Fools In Love’ couple. That’s right.

“Eh-ehem,” Johnny starts.

He spends the next three seconds staring at Yuta, trying to gather what he has to say. There’s so much fondness in the way Yuta is looking back at him. 

Everyone is so used to them doing this on the daily that none of them are fazed by it anymore. It’s Yuta’s day anyway.

Those three seconds passed and Johnny reluctantly tears his eyes away from Yuta, taking in a deep breath, ready to start his little speech. He looks nervous, and Yuta can’t help the smile that tugs at the corner of his lips. Johnny has that effect on him.

On everyone, really.

“Okay, how do I start. Hmm...”

“Jooooohhnny! Johnny! Johnny!” Mark initiates when Johnny pauses a little too long, and everyone else starts chanting along.

That gives the man that little push he needs, and he starts flailing his arms around, making everyone stop.

“Okay, okay. Firstly, I would like to thank everyone for the help and support in making this happen, and for being here tonight. I wouldn’t have been able to pull this one off alone, so I owe you guys big time!”

Everyone cheers at that.

He does owe them big time. God knows how long Johnny has been pestering everyone about this surprise party.

“Chittaphon, you’ll be able to fly in for this, right?”

“Renjun, is it possible for you and Chenle to get a little filming break this October?”

“Are you sure that’s like the perfect venue for this, Jae?”

He had started planning three months earlier, because “I want everything to be perfect, but I also don’t want him to get any ideas.” Everyone is more than willing to help, but they just enjoy making Johnny an anxious mess sometimes.

Well, Yuta of course, knows Johnny was gonna throw something for him. He does every year since they got together, anyway. But this is the first time all 21 of them are in the same room _again_ at the same time. And for it to be on his birthday, Yuta definitely wasn’t expecting it.

“I hope you guys are having a good time!” There’s a loud cheer again.

It’s so good to have everyone together like this. It’s been _so_ long.

“And I hope you, baby,” Johnny pauses, extending a hand for Yuta to take, which Yuta does. “...are having the bestest time.”

With the way Johnny is looking at him, Yuta wants to scream, wants to jump into Johnny’s lap and kiss him breathless because “I am, of course I am!” But he thinks he should save that enthusiasm for later. For when he has Johnny all to himself.

_All. To. Himself._

And of course, everyone cheers. Again.

Ten and Hendery who have had too much drink suddenly stand up and run around the room to give everyone a high-five. It’s such a mess, but the good kind of mess.

It’s always a good kind of mess with these boys.

Yuta watches Taeyong laugh at the scene unfolding in front of them. He remembers all the times they laughed together at the messages Kun had sent the fellow leader some years ago, when they were all promoting separately.

“I love them but, how do you even do this?”

“What do you do to keep sane?”

“God! I’m not that old, am I?”

Some things don’t change, because the moment he turns to look at Kun, the Chinese unit leader has his face in his hands, embarrassed.

But not for long, because as Hendery waddles back to his seat, Ten makes another round and stops right behind Kun to plant a surprise kiss on his cheek.

Loud and wet.

Kun turns tomato red.

The two are always very careful about it, but tonight, Ten is already too drunk to care. Not like everyone doesn’t know it already. They always hide behind the bickering, but Johnny caught on pretty fast, because “that’s how Ten shows affection.”

“Yuta, baby, the love of my life.”

The eww’s that follow snaps Yuta out of his trance. These guys really won’t let them live.

“Let them have their moment please!” Donghyuck interrupts, speaking like he’s in the courtroom, expression and all.

This is how he’s been snatching all the lead roles these days. His first few years in the acting industry was just directors and producers throwing role offers at him.

“Continue, continue.”

The face he makes as he leans back in his seat betrays all the seriousness he faked just seconds ago, earning him a smack on the back of his head.

Renjun.

That sends everyone into another fit of laughter.

When Johnny clears his throat into the microphone, they all have their attention back on the little stage.

“Yuta, remember when you told me you missed having everyone together?” he asks.

Yuta nods, a little smile on his lips. He feels genuinely content.

“And how you said you would be the happiest man on Earth if that could ever happen again?”

Yuta nods again, his smile now wider, pearly whites on display.

_He’s really the prettiest._

“I hope you are the happiest man on Earth tonight,” Johnny finishes, sending a smile as sweet Yuta’s way. 

Yuta mouths an ‘I am’, because he _really_ is. And he doesn’t think it could get any better than this.

But maybe, just _maybe_ , he’s wrong. Because Johnny has so much more to say.

Johnny always has so much to say when it comes to Yuta.

“Remember our first ever Chicago show?”

A chorus of ‘yeah’ follows. Of course they remember. Their first ever world tour. Johnny’s homecoming after years. It was definitely one for the books.

Johnny turns to meet Yuta’s eyes. “Gosh! I’d loved you years before that,” he pauses. “But that day, on the 94th floor of John Hancock Tower?” He searches for confusion in Yuta’s expression. And when he finds none, he continues, “That was when I knew I was _in love_ with you.”

“I can vouch for that!”

Taeyong.

Everyone’s attention is now on him. 

“You went to take a piss and he crowded me to a corner, kept repeating that he was in love with you!” he adds, pointing to Yuta. “And I was like yeah I know, but he insisted that this was different!" 

When Taeyong finishes, they all look back to Johnny, and then to Yuta. But Yuta’s smile has faltered. He’s looking at Johnny with an unreadable expression. 

Silence.

There’s a soft ‘oh no’ before the dam breaks, and Yuta is full-on bawling.

“Oh, no. No no no no no,” Johnny panics. “No, baby. Please don’t cry, I’m only starting my speech.”

With just one big stride, he’s pulling Yuta into his embrace, hands stroking Yuta’s hair, and down his back.

Yuta is like this, everyone knows. But that doesn’t make the situation any easier to deal with.

It takes five whole minutes to calm him down. Jaemin is standing next to the two with a box of tissue, holding Yuta’s free hand in his. The other is holding on to Johnny by the shirt.

“You feeling better?” Johnny checks.

Yuta sniffles one last time.

“Can I go back to my speech?”

Yuta nods, wiping at his nose vigorously. “Yes, yes. I’m okay.”

It doesn’t look natural, the way Johnny lets go of his boyfriend. His hands linger around Yuta’s waist before reluctantly stepping back to the microphone. 

“Okay, where was I?”

“Come on, Johnny!” Mark again, Johnny’s number one cheerleader.

“Right, right.” Johnny is ready to pick up where he left off.

“Yuta, remember when you took me home, just so we could go for hanami together?”

Home.

_Home._

Did Johnny just imply Osaka is home for him too?

Yuta’s heart is so full it’s about to burst. But no, he’s not gonna interrupt Johnny’s speech again. He can do this.

“That afternoon, when you fed me grapes,” Johnny pauses. “On that picnic mat, I knew you were the one.”

“Would it be different if he had fed you oranges?!” Lucas calls from the back of the audience.

Johnny giggles.

No, it wouldn’t.

“Haha no, Xuxi. I don’t think so,” he replies.

Another cheer erupts. Johnny’s glad he agreed to do this here instead of at the apartment.

 _Their_ apartment.

They had moved in together just last year and at this rate, the neighbours would’ve called security on them. Again.

The first time it happened was when Ten and Taeyong came to visit. Exclusive housewarming, they said, when the couple had just thrown one three days prior. They got shitfaced till ass o’clock, and Ten was going off to Celine Dion’s I’m Alive.

On the karaoke set.

Okay, they probably deserved it.

The next time their eyes meet, Yuta is fiddling with his necklace. The one that matches Johnny’s.

Johnny remembers when Yuta told him about how it provides him comfort. They were tangled together on the couch one evening watching some anime Yuta was trying to catch up on. It wasn’t prompted, Yuta just blurted it out. It wasn’t a big deal when it happened, but every time Johnny catches Yuta doing _just_ that, his heart blooms in the strangest way.

The good kind of strange. 

“Yuta Nakamoto,” Johnny proceeds.

“Yes, my love.”

My love.

_My love._

Johnny needs a moment.

“R-remem...ber...” he’s pretty much choking on his own words at this point.

Sure it shows in the way Yuta looks at him, like he puts all the stars in the sky (yes, he can see it himself). But with words? Pet names? Yuta usually saves those for when they’re alone. In the safety of their own home. So, he’s caught off guard.

Johnny clears his throat again. Ugh, he just needs to finish this speech, and ask the damn question.

Okay, here goes.

“Remember when we got Jordan?”

Yuta flashes him the brightest smile.

Johnny knows Yuta remembers. Yuta remembers everything, even the most insignificant, the smallest of details. Of course he remembers this. But for the sake of this speech.

 _This_ speech. 

“That day when we went to the shelter, when the loudest little puppy ran straight in our direction,” Johnny pauses.

He needs another moment. Another deep breath.

“When you knelt down, when you naturally took him into your arms, when you let him lick your whole face,” Johnny pauses, again. 

He can do this! 

“I knew it, I knew it then that...” His voice trembles. 

 _Come on, Johnny! You can do this!_  

Mark is mouthing the same thing as he looks. 

Yes, yes! He can do this. 

“...that I want to grow old with you. I want to...” 

 _Come oooonnnnn!_  

“I want to spend the rest of my life with you.” 

Okay. 

 _Okay!_  

He looks Yuta in the eyes, tries to convey all sorts of emotion he’s feeling right now. It’s here. It’s finally here. 

“I know I said I wanted to be married at 24,” 

In. 

Out. 

“But what’s wrong with making it happen only 10 years later, if it means I’m doing it with you?” 

Yuta’s mouth falls open. His eyes start to glisten.

When Johnny stands up, takes the microphone with him, walks the few steps to stand right in front Yuta, the love of his life has a hand over his mouth. 

“Sorry, baby. This is the most I’m making you cry in a day, I promise.”

As Johnny fishes for the velvet box in his back pocket, takes it out and goes down on one knee, Yuta audibly gasps.

This is it. _This is it!_  

“Baby. Baby, baby, baby.”

Take a shot every time Johnny calls Yuta baby tonight. 

He wipes the single tear that managed to escape, making its way down Yuta’s cheek. The first of the many, because as soon as he does that, the stream that follows doesn’t seem to stop.

“I better make this quick, I can’t have you look like this in pictures.” Johnny says, tracing the curve of Yuta’s jaw.

The whole room is silent, everyone holding their breaths, anticipating this moment. From the corner of his eye, Johnny sees how Taeyong and Ten are holding each other’s hands. He better get this done as planned, or they’ll be out for his ass.

Johnny doesn’t want to imagine it.

He holds the box out with one hand, opens it with the other. A gold band is finally in sight. The single diamond sparkles under the lights, matching Yuta’s beautiful eyes.

Johnny holds Yuta’s gaze.

God, can he do this all day.

“Yuta Nakamoto, my best friend, my baby, the love of my life. Happy birthday to you, I hope this has been the best birthday out of the 33 times you’ve orbited the sun.”

Johnny is ready to say it.

“Will you do the absolute honour of making me the man I imagined to be at 24, when I turn 34? Will you let me share your joy, your pain, your best, and your worst? Will you take me with you as you orbit the sun however many more times you plan to do it?”

Yuta slides down his seat to kneel in front of Johnny. He has a hand on the side of Johnny’s face, thumb rubbing the cheekbone soothingly. As if Johnny is the one who needs comforting right now, when he himself is sobbing. Hiccupping.

Johnny wonders if he can breathe properly.

And finally...

Finally.

“Yuta, will you marry me?”

It’s dramatic, the way there are gasps from the 19 men around them, the way Yuta holds his gaze for that one second, the way Johnny feels like time has stopped. Before Yuta jumps into his arms, knocking him to fall flat on his butt, the velvet box flying out of his hand. He doesn’t see where the box lands, because he, too, is now full-on bawling, eyes squeezed shut.

“Yes, Youngho. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.”

_Youngho._

Yuta calls him Johnny, Jyani, Jyan, Suh, but never Youngho. Never in front of anyone else.

He tightens his hold around Yuta’s waist. 

He did it. He really did it.

And Yuta said yes.

Yuta fucking said yes!

And Johnny doesn’t mind if Yuta wants to repeat that a million more times.

But time doesn’t actually stop. It only feels like it. So, he has to pull away, but just enough to see Yuta’s face. It isn’t for long because Yuta is pulling him back in for a kiss.

In just a split second, everything comes back to him - the cheering from his friends, the soreness in his knees, the music blasting in the background.

Marry You by Bruno Mars.

This is all so disgustingly cheesy, but Johnny likes it like this, and there’s nothing anyone can do about it.

And Yuta? He indulges Johnny in it.

But it wasn’t always like this.

Yuta didn’t like cheesy, didn’t like pet names, didn’t like PDA in general. Sure he’s into skinships, but not with Johnny, his own boyfriend, in public. It took them years to get where they are now.

It’s a compromise.

A bargain.

Yuta is open to Johnny doing it in public, and Johnny doesn’t take offence in Yuta only giving when they’re alone.

When they pull away, Taeyong is by their side, holding the box up for Johnny to take.

“Can’t lose this one,” he says.

Johnny takes it, and takes the ring out. He doesn’t realise how much he’s shaking, until he takes Yuta’s hand in his. Yuta mouths an ‘I love you’ as Johnny slips the ring on his finger. The finger with the vein that runs directly to the heart.

It’s really happening.

The ring looks so right on Yuta’s finger. Even more so now that he took off all the other rings he was wearing.

It’s beautiful.

It’s perfect. 

Johnny wants to cry. They’re finally here. The path has been chosen, they just gotta walk it.

He stands up, dusts off his butt and offers a hand to pull Yuta up with him.

 _To_ him.

So he can kiss the fuck out of Yuta, really. But.

But.

Yuta refuses. He stays on the floor.

“Baby, what are you doing?” Johnny is beyond confused.

_Come on, I just want to kiss your face!_

But, suddenly.

Suddenly.

Johnny watches Yuta fish something out of his own pocket. And then he’s on one knee, right in front of Johnny.

It’s Johnny’s turn to have his hands over his mouth. It’s Johnny’s turn to gasp. Because Yuta has a blue velvet box in hand, ready to open it.

And then he opens it.

“Johnny Suh.”

Johnny has to hold his breath, scared he would break down. Again.

“I haven’t been in love with you for as long as you’ve been with me. I haven’t been as affectionate, I haven’t been as kind, I haven’t been as patient,” Yuta utters this all with so much sincerity.

He pauses, swallows, and continues.

“You’re always the better half. Always, always, always. And I thought I could at least beat you to this. But God, you still asked me first.”

It finally sinks in, what Yuta is doing.

Johnny can barely keep standing, so he falls to his knees instead, coming to Yuta’s eye level.

Well, more or less.

He has both hands on Yuta’s elbows, trying to hold himself up, really. There’s no use in trying to hold back the tears, so Johnny lets them win.

“However, you know me best, so you know what? Fuck it, I’m gonna ask you, still.”

Yuta holds the box higher, the diamonds reflecting all the lights in the room, and those in Johnny’s eyes.

“Suh Youngho, will you marry me?”

It feels like time stops again.

“You always make me wanna be better, and God knows how much of a sucker I am for self-improvement. So please say yes,” he finishes.

“Please.”

The silence that follows is a bit too long. Long enough that Yuta subconsciously lowers the hand that’s holding the box.

Johnny catches the way Yuta loses confidence, looking down. It almost breaks his own heart but he’s quick to act, catching Yuta’s hand in his. 

“Wait! You don’t think I’m saying no, do you?” he asks.

Yuta meets his gaze for a split second before looking away again, crimson rising to his cheeks.

“Oh my God, you do!” Johnny is amused.

“Yutaaaaaa,” he coaxes Yuta to look at him, chasing the latter’s line of sight.

Both his hands are resting on the sides of Yuta’s face, squishing the cheeks. “Babyyyyy,” the word prolonged in a whine.

Johnny ignores Ten faking disgust in the background. He’s pretty sure Hendery has joined in too. And Chenle?! 

These kids are kidding!

“Shut up, Ten!”

Kun.

Johnny mouths a ‘thanks’, glares at Ten and focuses back on his...fiancé?

“Yuta, if you’ve said yes to my proposal but I say no to _yours_ , how am I gonna husband you up?”

Right.

Yuta slowly raises his head, pupils shaking as he looks at Johnny. And then.

And then.

The most beautiful smile blooms.

It does to his beautiful face what Christmas trees do to beautiful Christmas eve.

Johnny loves both - the face and Christmas eve.

He can’t afford to waste another second, pulls Yuta close and crashes their lips together. Yuta huffs a laugh right before their lips touch, but Johnny swallows the rest of it.

He’s warm and giddy inside, just how Yuta feels against his fingertips.

There are aww’s and whistling and laughing (ignoring Ten’s constant effort to ruin the moment). And there’s also someone...yodelling?

That’s Donghyuck!

Why must he always do the weirdest shit?

As soon as they pull away, Doyoung pulls them back in for a tight hug, his lanky arms draping over their shoulders, whispering, “Finally, the first of the many." 

And then Taeyong.

And then everyone else. 

It ends up a huge human pile, Johnny and Yuta in the middle of it, on the floor.

Over the years, a lot has changed. But this?

Not this.

They’ve been a family for as long as they remember, and they’ll remain so for longer.

Forever is too cheesy, even for this beautiful moment. (But that’s the appropriate word, really.)

 

\---

 

“Hi,” Yuta breathes as he settles into his (now) fiancé’s lap.

He finally has Johnny _all to himself_ , in the comfort of their living room - warm, dimly lit, and dressed down. He’s been waiting for this the whole evening. The way he had to hold himself from jumping Johnny after the mess of proposals - a torture.

“Hey,” comes Johnny’s reply.

He can’t take his eyes off of Yuta’s lips. Glistening. Inviting. He dips his head to catch them with his own—

“Eyes up here, Johnny boy.”

Yuta loves teasing him, but Johnny is more than happy to entertain.

He meets Yuta’s eyes, holding in the sigh. The eyes looking back are soft, filled with so much emotion. Ones that can’t be translated into words.

Yuta only looks at _him_ like this.

Johnny is a confident man, but this isn’t him trying to get ahead of himself. This is the truth. Every one of their friends have told him this at least once. 

His hands instinctively find purchase on Yuta’s hips, while Yuta’s arms loop around his neck. Their faces are just inches apart, breathing each other’s air, and Yuta smells so, so, _so_ good.

It’s Johnny’s favourite fragrance on him.

“Such a long evening, but I had so much fun,” Yuta whispers.

Johnny offers him a smile, hands reaching up to stroke his cheek fondly. “I’m glad you did,” he whispers back playfully, earning a soft smile.

Johnny’s thumb now tracing Yuta’s bottom lip, one he wants to pull in between his teeth and draw out soft moans. But they have all the time in the world to do that (and more), so he plans to go slow.

Yuta likes _it_ slow.

“Has it really been that long?” Yuta asks after a few beats of silence, their foreheads now against each other.

Johnny doesn’t get the context. “Has what been that long?”

He’s still staring at Yuta’s lips, every quirk and movement as they utter each word.

Yuta hesitates, his eyes now on Johnny’s hand that’s resting on his thigh. “You,” he pauses. “Being in love with me.”

Oh.

Johnny tilts his head up to look at his fiancé, perched so prettily on his lap. Like, _really_ look at him.

“Yes,” he breathes.

“Yes, it has really been that long.”

Another pregnant silence follows, just the two of them staring into each other’s eyes. There’s Rachel Ray’s latest cooking show playing in the background, accompanying this moment.

Yuta pushes back the bangs covering Johnny’s forehead. Then, he leans down slowly, very slowly, to press a tender kiss right in the middle. His lips linger for a moment before pulling back. Johnny has his eyes closed, basking in the feeling. And when he opens them, the sight is so breathtaking.

Yuta has this warm smile that could heat up a home in winter.

Yuta is like the sun.

Yuta is like summer, running along the beach, feeling the sand in between your toes.

Yuta is everything good Johnny can think of. Everything he loves.

“It’s been a long time coming when I finally told you. When I finally asked,” Johnny says.

Four years later, when they were 28.

That’s when he finally told Yuta. He was sure Yuta felt the same way then, and things just took off smoothly from there.

“Thank you,” Yuta breathes into his ear. “For being so patient even then. For giving it time.”

“I would do anything for you. I just wanted you. And I still do, fiancé.”

Yuta’s smile is blinding. So, Johnny kisses him.

Like, _really_ kisses him.

 


	2. epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Johnny takes Yuta home, for the first time with gold bands around their fingers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> JohnYu is endgame.

They’re having the perfect night, had decided to eat at Johnny’s favourite place which was undoubtedly expensive with the steak cooked just the way Yuta liked it, paired with an exquisite bottle of red wine, now settled on the pier, in each other’s embrace. 

It’s calm and quiet, just the two of them cuddling on a mat that’s a little too small for two, stargazing. Yuta has an arm across Johnny’s middle and a leg tangled in between Johnny’s, leeching for warmth as always. His breathing calm, face tucked away at the junction where Johnny’s neck meets the broad shoulder. 

Johnny is telling him stories from his childhood. They don’t seem to run out though he’s told Yuta so many throughout the years. But his words are blending in with the night buzz, becoming a white noise at this point because all Yuta can think is _‘I love you I love you I love you’_ and without realising, he’s thinking out loud.

When he does realise though, Johnny has stopped running his mouth, peering down to look at him. His arms wrap tighter around Yuta’s waist.

Yuta says ‘I love you’, a lot, just not in those exact words. It’s either “don’t do that, you’re gonna hurt yourself” or “we can order another if you want” or “let’s go to sleep, you look tired”. Even after years, he can count on one hand how many times Yuta has said it, which is why he’s rendered speechless.

“Sorry, I just—“ Yuta stops, trying to think of what he’s sorry for.

“What is it?” Johnny takes Yuta’s hand in his.

Yuta thinks he shouldn’t think. “You took me home,” he whispers it like a secret. “I know we’ve done this before, and I’ve met your family, relatively way too many times, let’s be honest. But this time it feels different. I have a gold band around my finger.” 

From the corner of his eye, Johnny catches the way the single diamond sparkles under the moonlight.

“And you showed me all your collections from when you were young, took me to this restaurant your parents always took you to, took me _here_ where your parents took you to stargaze. And then we’re going back to sleep in your room, in the house you grew up in,” his breath shudders. “Makes me _really_ wanna spend the rest of my life with you.”

“You _are_ going to.” Johnny doesn’t even miss a beat.

“I know, but like, this,” he fiddles with Johnny’s ring. “This makes it so real.”

“It _is_ real.” 

“I know...Ugh!” He, whines, getting frustrated from not being able to explain what he means. Though he doesn’t have to. “I mean, we can’t really make it official, but this makes it _feel_ official.”

Johnny senses that Yuta is getting emotional. Yuta only lets _him_ see this, hear this. That’s so much trust, so much love. And that’s what makes Johnny say what he says next.

“We can.”

“Huh?”

There’s a pregnant pause before a soft smile creeps onto Johnny’s face. “If we _do_ make it official, would it make you _know_ instead of _feel_  like this is official?” he hooks his forefinger under Yuta’s chin, makes him meet his eyes.

Silence. Yuta has his eyebrows furrowed.

It takes another second for it to click in his head, hand gripping Johnny’s tighter. Johnny doesn’t miss the way his pupils dilate. “Wha-what are you saying, Jyan?”

Johnny is spontaneous date nights, unplanned road trips and follow-your-guts. But Yuta doesn’t think this was included. Did it?

“I’m saying, let’s drive down to Illinois tomorrow. Let’s get our papers signed, make it official. You. Me. Us, baby. What do you say?”

Yuta’s eyes glisten under the stars. His mouth hangs open, pupils shaking, staring hard into Johnny’s eyes. The grip he has on Johnny’s hand is bordering painful, so Johnny leans down to kiss the tip of his nose. It’s something that always seems to calm Yuta down.

“Hmm?” Johnny asks again, the soft smile never faltering.

“Y-yes,” it’s barely audible and Yuta clears his throat, repeats it again. He’ll repeat it a thousand times over. “Yes yes yes, let’s do that. Let’s get our papers signed.” 

And the first of tears escapes.

**Author's Note:**

> If you read it till the end, I wanna thank you for going through this self-indulgent journey with me!


End file.
